Your work shouldn’t stop you from exercising!
Below you’ll find a ton of exercises you can do at your desk to stay healthy and avoid muscle soreness during your busy work week.

Office stretching

Wrist stretch: extend one arm out in front of you, palms up, and grasp the fingers with the other hand.
Gently pull the fingers down to stretch your forearm and hold for 20-30 seconds. Shrug shoulders: inhale deeply and shrug your shoulders, lifting them up to your ears.
Hold the position, exhale and drop your shoulders.
Repeat three times. Torso twist: inhale and, as you exhale, turn to the right and grasp the back of your chair with your right hand.
Grasp the arm of the chair with your left hand.
Use your grip on the chair to help you twist your torso as far as possible.
Slowly return to the front and repeat on the other side.

Lower body exercises

Hip flexion: Sit down and lift your leg a few centimetres, bent at the knee.
Hold for two seconds, lower and repeat 16 times. Leg extension: sit down and stretch your leg until it’s level with your hip, squeezing your quadriceps.
Hold for two seconds, lower and repeat 16 times.
Repeat on the other side. Inner thigh: place a towel between your knees when you sit down.
Squeeze the towel, release and squeeze again.
Repeat 16 times. Buttocks: squeeze your buttock muscles for seven seconds, then release.
Repeat again 10-15 times. Squats at your chair: stand up and try to sit back until your buttocks are just a few centimetres from your chair, with your arms stretched out in front of you for balance.
Hold the position for two to three seconds.
Stand and repeat 16 times. Calves: place your feet flat on the floor and press the soles of your feet into the ground to lift your heels as high as possible.
Lower your heels towards the ground and immediately lift your toes one to two inches off the ground so that the muscle on the front of your shin is fully contracted.
Lower your toes and repeat 10 to 20 times.

Upper body exercises

Triceps exercise: sit down and hold a full water bottle in your left hand.
Lift the bottle up to shoulder level, pause, then continue lifting.
When the arm is next to the ear, bend the elbow, take the water bottle behind you and contract the triceps.
Straighten your arm and lower it, repeating 12 times. Push-ups: make sure your chair is stable and place your hands next to your hips.
If your chair has wheels, place it against a wall so that it doesn’t move.
Move your hips in front of the chair and bend your elbows, lowering your body until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle.
Push and repeat 16 times.

Abdominal exercises

Lateral curvature stretch: with your hands by your ears, keeping your back straight, gently bend to the left as far as you can, contracting your abdominals.
Return to the center and repeat on the right side.
Repeat 10 times on each side. Contraction: contract your abdominal muscles for seven seconds.
Repeat this process 10 to 15 times, or until you can’t do it any more.